This invention relates to methods and apparatus for generating alarm or notification signals in response to the changing relative locations of electronic devices.
People are growing increasingly dependent on portable electronic devices such a cellular phones, personal computers, digital assistants, car locking controls, electronic watches, calculators, digital cameras, and the like. Because these devices are usually small, they are easily misplaced or forgotten, and because access to these devices is often essential, it is desirable to provide methods and apparatus for insuring that these devices are available when they are needed.
The functionality of both portable and fixed electronic devices is expected to be dramatically extended and improved by the advent of improved short range wireless connectivity provided by Bluetooth(trademark) radio transmitters which are being incorporated into new electronic devices. The Bluetooth radio is built into a small microchip and operates within a globally available frequency band. The Bluetooth specification defines two power levels: a lower power mode with a range of about 10 meters for covering a personal area within a room, and a higher power level with a range of about 100 meters covering a larger area, such as a home or office. Software controls and identity coding built into each microchip ensure that only those units preset by their owners can communicate, and provide a mechanism for identifying other devices that are within range. As discussed below, this new technology may also be used to insure that needed devices are available when they are needed, and to provide related functions.
In a principle aspect, the present invention takes the form of a rules-based system for monitoring the movement and relative location of a plurality of electronic devices and for performing specified actions, such as issuing notification messages and actuating alarms, when the conditions specified in one or more or the defined rules are satisfied. The rules are specified by and accepted from a user. Each rule includes a condition part and an action part. The condition part includes at least one positional condition which defines the relative position of at least two electronic devices. The action part defines one or more functions to be performed when the corresponding condition part is satisfied. Each electronic device incorporates radio signaling means which preferably takes the form of a Bluetooth chip. The signaling device on at least selected ones of the electronic devices performs inquiry operations to identify other electronic devices which are with range of the inquiring device. The positional data derived from these inquiries is passed to a rules processor which initiates defined actions when one or more of the rules are satisfied. A web server may be used to accept rules definitions, receive posted positional data from connected devices, and initiate the actions specified by the satisfied rules. Alternatively, user devices may be programmed to perform one or more of these functions. The system may be advantageously used to issue notification messages to prevent needed electronic devices from being misplaced or forgotten.